OH MY WORD: Derpin’ Carry Group Finds New And Novel Way To Run Afoul Of The Law

Over the weekend, Open Carry Tarrant County held a rally at a Home Depot parking lot in North Richland Hills.

“We had about 150 people show up. Everybody in the area was wonderful and had a great time,” said Kory Watkins, head of Open Carry Tarrant County. “There were people pulling in that didn’t even know about the event that ended up staying with us and chatting. We even had a gentleman that was opposed to us who ended up staying and chatting with us.”

During the rally, donations were accepted, and black powder revolvers and boxes of ammunition were given out as “prizes” to attendees, something that Investigator Keith Bowman with the North Richland Hills Police Department said might have violated the state’s gambling laws.

“We are investigating the raffle that did occur at the rally on Saturday, May 31st. There are concerns that the manner in which it was held are in violation of the state’s gambling statutes,” said Bowman. “The group was advised prior to the raffle that there were concerns in the manner in which it would be held. They said they were going to discuss it amongst themselves and make a decision. On Saturday, officers were advised by supervisory staff that, since the raffle was being held, to take an offense report to begin the investigation.”

Shocking precisely no one, it appears that Open Carry Tarrant County has managed to tick off Home Depot:

Saturday’s rally began in the parking lot of a Home Depot. Corporate spokesman Stephen Holmes said that while Home Depot allows customers to carry legally permitted weapons into its stores, “we do not allow solicitation or organizing by third parties on our property.”

The Open Carry supporters were not asked to move on Saturday. But should they return for another rally, Holmes said, “we’ll remind them of that policy.”

It appears that this group seems intent on forcing Home Depot to ban open carry as well.